


Avatar Azula: The rise and fall

by Awkward_Gay_Bean



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Avatar & Benders Setting, Bending (Avatar), F/F, F/M, Fire Nation (Avatar), Inspired by Avatar: The Last Airbender, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, M/M, Ozai (Avatar) Being a Terrible Parent, Ozai (Avatar) is an Asshole
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-24
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-05 01:20:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25495966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awkward_Gay_Bean/pseuds/Awkward_Gay_Bean
Summary: It's simple really.What if Azula was the avatar?(Also what if I make everything gay & what if some airbenders survived Because b*Ch please-)
Relationships: Azula/Katara (Avatar), Mai/Ty Lee (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 203





	1. Starting off..

Hi and welcome to I'm going to try and warp time so Azula can be the avatar.

Now there are a few ways I can do this:

  1. Fuck canon. We've got another fire avatar. Ha-ha, suck my Ballz
  2. Timey-wimey, I put stuff back and add some time and voila Roku is kicked out and we've got Azula instead.
  3. Airbenders dead. So skip air avatar. Water avatar also dies Because fire nation killing any bender. Earth uh.. somehow doesn't figure out they're the avatar and… die? Like a normal person?



I'd love to do 2 Because it's less cultural devastating, but with zuko's mom and shit we sadly can't do that. 1 sucks so bye-bye. This means I'm gonna do 3.

“But writer? How will an airbender avatar get born if there are no airbenders-? And how will the avatar learn airbending?!”

Good question, so let's re-do the lore a little bit. (This is an au suck my Ballz)

Some airbenders we're traveling Because of airbending stuff and _*Jazz Hands*_ Survived. (they got bisons FFS, if Appa survived 3 seasons full of bull-droppings so can other bisons)

“But what about the hundred years of war?!” Simple: they mixed in with other people and went in Hiding, some telling their partners they're airbenders, others didn't. Anyhow airbending kids are probably mixed in with the water tribe. Because they don't mix well with the earth people & it's easier to find an airbending person this way & don't you dare tell me that the waterbenders wouldn't help out the airbenders. (Strong sense of community, hope, easily adaptable to change. Anyone remember iroh's speech?)

I'll also put some on kyoshi island. Because 1. fans 2. Kyoshi Warriors 3. I'm a simple gay. Do you see where this is going?

Tbh I doubt airbenders would've survived the south pole massacre so they're on the North pole & Kyoshi Island and that's only a little bit and the Rest are _Dead_.

Now that we have got that out of the way it is time for some character changes.

Zuko hasn't been banished, _yet_. Iroh has returned home. Azula is Azula. (Sorta) We are traveling to the south pole Because excuse you Katara and Sokka are in this. (I'm doing the gay ships) Also I love aang. He's gonna be here in the form of not the avatar, but an airbending kid. ALSO I WANT MY FLYING BISON APPA YIP-YIP & with my awesome writer powers Momo will also be a part of this big family. Can't stop me.

l also I highly doubt you'd want me to throw Momo out of the window and if you do: fuck you. Dishonor on you. Dishonor on your cow. Dishonor on your family-

Now that everyone's anxiety over the lore has been settled I can start the plot & story…

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Azula is everything. The Prodigy. She is born lucky. But, maybe she isn't. Because on one faithful day, she wakes up. Does her round of Training. But instead of a flame coming out of her hand, a rock slams against the wall. She feels her heart beating in her chest  
 _It's nothing._ She shakes it off and does it again. She feels the ground moving, another rock hitting the wall. Her heart sinks. Her facial expression changes from focused to pure terror.

 _No._ She stares at her hands, then at the wall. At the pieces of rock laying on the ground. She is the avatar.  
Now she doesn't believe it at first. In fact, she ignores it. She goes on with her day. Pretending. Being perfect. But she is horrified. With every step she takes, she ensures nothing moves. That there's no sudden wind. That the water she drinks doesn't move- But that's not what water is supposed to do..?  
She stares at the liquid. It's silent. Too silent. She drops her glass, it shatters. Zuko looks up, confused. Servants gather and clean it up. Azula glances around, paranoid.  
  
“Clean it up quicker! I could've stepped in it!” She sneers, trying to hide her own insecurities and doubt. Zuko would like to shrug it off, but it's not like Azula to just, drop something and shatter it.  
“Azula-” he begins, but falls silent when she looks at him. He sees it. The fear in her eyes. Before she masks it with a glare.  
“What?” She snaps at him. He looks off.  
“Nothing.” Yet both of them feel it. Realise it.  
Something changed..

That day, zuko tries to go into the war meeting. At first, he isn't allowed to. But Iroh helps, and they go in. Then he speaks out.. He says he isn't scared. He'll fight the old war general.  
But it's his father he faces. And it's his father he begs for forgiveness. And it's his father who puts his hand on Zuko's face and burns him.

Azula doesn't smile. She stares in fear.


	2. Sibling arguments

For our fire siblings, months pass.  
But for Katara and Sokka, the story has yet to begin…

On the North pole, two siblings are sitting in a boat. Fishing.  
The serene sound of moving water hitting their boat the only sound echoing between them.

“It's not getting away from me this time.” The young boy says, determined. Watching a fish slowly swim through the icy cold water. “Watch and learn, Katara,” he tells his sister, “this is how you catch a fish.”

Katara glances over at him, unimpressed. She glances back at the water, noticing another fish. She glances cautiously at her brother, then takes off one of her gloves. Taking in a deep breath as she focuses.

Slowly, she can feel the water rippling under her command. Moving it up to catch the fish… She caught it! She quickly continues to pull the water up. A surprised but amazed expression growing on her face. _I caught it! I did it! I caught a fish with my waterbending!_  
“Sokka, look!” She says excitedly.  
“Shh, Katara,” he answers in a hissed tone, yet to catch his fish, “you're gonna scare him away. Mmm I can already smell it cooking..”  
Katara continues to pull the water closer, until it's above her. The fish moving in the bubble. “But Sokka, I caught one!”

Yet, to both their dreams comes an end as Sokka pulls his spear back ready to catch his fish, but he pricks open Katara's bubble, leaving her fish to dive right back into the water. And him, soaked, gasping. “Aah!”

“Hey-!” “Why is it that every time you play with magic water, _I_ get soaked?” He exclaims irritatedly, turning to her.  
Katara sighs frustrated. “It's not magic, it's Waterbending, and it's-” “Yeah, yeah, an ancient art unique to our culture, blah, blah, blah..” He cuts her off, turning away again. “Look, I’m just saying that if I had weird powers, I'd keep my weirdness to myself.”  
“You're calling me weird?” She raises an eyebrow, her tone questioning. “I'm not the one who makes muscles at myself every time I see my reflection in the water.” She says teasingly, smiling. Watching her brother make muscles at his reflection in the water.

He turns to her, ready to reply, but then.. they hit something. Both of them yelp as they get pulled into a strong current that starts pulling them forward quickly. Pieces of ice drifting around, they look around scared as Sokka hastily starts paddling.

“Watch out!” Katara yells as they near a chunk of ice. He grunts and tries to steer away. Katara desperately yells instructions at him. “Go left! Go left!”  
But it's useless as they get dragged within two pieces of ice that crash into each other. Breaking their boat, stranding them in the open water.

“You call that left?” Katara says.  
“You don't like my steering. Well, maybe you should have waterbended us out of the ice.” Sokka replies, making mocking hand movements.  
Katara gets up, now very done with her brother's stupidities. “So it's my fault.”  
“I knew I should have left you home,” Sokka replies, not bothering to get up, “leave it to a girl to screw things up.”  
Katara tries to contain her anger, but fuck it. He doesn't deserve her calmth. “You are the Most Sexist, Immature, Nutbrained-" she groans, “ah! I'm embarrassed to be related to you!” She exclaims. 

The water moves and stirs under her anger, causing ripples. But then..  
The crackling sound of something breaking, coming loose.. something made of- ice.  
Sokka glances up and notices it. An iceberg. Cracking. Under Katara's command.

“Ever since mom died, I've been doing all the work around camp, while you've been off playing soldier!” More cracks appear.  
“Ah… Katara-” Sokka says, starting to feel scared.   
“I even wash all the clothes! Have you ever smelled your dirty socks? Let me tell You. Not, pleasant!” More ice breaks off as she angrily moves her hands around.  
“Katara! Settle down!” Sokka yells, desperate.  
“No! That's it! I'm Done helping you! From now on, you're on your own!” She exclaims, and with a last strike. The iceberg falls apart.

Katara turns around, gasping. Sokka almost yelps in fear.  
A gigantic wave appears as the iceberg sinks down. Pushing the block of ice the siblings are on back.

And as it sinks down, it reveals a ship.  
To be more specific, a fire nation ship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Y'ALLS COMMENTS GOT ME MOTIVATED, THANK Y'ALL!) Also these kids are siblings, did you think I wasn't going to have them get into arguments? Did y'all see the beach episode? Cause I did- (also I'm a middle sib, so let me try and do siblings justice)
> 
> Did I put way too much effort into this? Yes, yes I did.  
> 


	3. An awkward meeting

“.. we're dead.” Sokka says, staring.  
“So dead.” Katara whispers as she stumbles back.

Two figures stare down. “There are people down there.” Zuko comments, confused.  
Azula curls a string if hair around her finger. “We're near the water tribe. Did you suspect we'd be all alone so you could cry?”  
He gives her a glare.  
She lets go of the string of hair, lightly pushing it back. “Cute. I'm shaking in my boots Zuzu.”

Iroh walks up to them. “Now, now, we came here in hopes of finding someone who could help Azula with her abilities. How about we welcome them? Maybe they need a lift home.”  
“They would never take help from the fire nation-” Zuko begins. “well then we'll just move along,” Azula cuts him off.  
He grumbles and walks away. Azula rolls her eyes. _So dramatic._

Iroh leans over the edge, looking at the two kids sitting on a piece of ice. Currently holding onto each other.  
“Ah, wait a second down there!” He calls out.  
Katara looks at the man, she glances at Sokka. “What are they going to do to us?”  
”Don't worry! I've got a plan.” Sokka throws his boomerang.   
They can hear a yelp, then a teenager with a ponytail and a scar covering half his face glares at them. “Who threw that?!”  
The girl with neatly tied hair next to him laughs.

The boomerang lands next to Sokka. “Uh… not me?” He says, glancing at the boomerang. Zuko continues to glare. “Katara quick, waterbend us away!” Soka says, glancing up at Zuko with fear.  
“That was your plan?!” Katara gets up. “That's the stupidest! Most- UGH!” She throws water at him. He yelps

Azula stares, watching the girl get up, and throw water, without touching it- “A waterbender!”  
Katara freezes, the water drops. She looks up. _Shit._

“That's it! I'm going down there and fighting them!” Zuko says as he goes gets ready to do so.  
“No you're not.” “Why not?!” “Because it's dumb,” Azula argues.  
Zuko groans. “Don't tell me what to do!”  
She shrugs. “I'm just saying.”  
Iroh can be seen sighing in the background. “How about you two go down to greet those two, and ask if the girl can teach Azula waterbending?”  
Zuko and Azula look at Iroh, then at each other and nod.  
“Alright uncle.” Zuko says.

And so they do, going down with a boat to greet the two watertribe kids. Who stare at them confused and scared.  
“Are those teenagers? Why did they send teenagers?” Sokka softly asks.  
Katara sighs and shakes her head, "we're teenagers too Sokka," she mutters, then she keeps a cautious eye on the two firenation teens.

“Greetings,” Azula begins. Zuko raises an eyebrow.   
“Greetings?”  
Azula looks at him. “Please don't embarrass me in front of strangers.”   
“You're the one saying greetings.”  
“I'm being polite!”  
“You sound old.”  
“Well at least I still know my manners-” “ah yes because you're so perfect!”

Katara and Sokka glance at each other, then at the now two arguing siblings.   
“Uh, hi?” Sokka begins.   
Zuko and Azula fall silent and look at the both of them.

 _He's kinda hot._ Sokka thinks as he looks at Zuko. _If you ignore his baldness.._  
Katara looks at Azula, still cautious. _What does she want?_  
“... So- ahum. I'm Azula, princess of the fire nation-”  
“What?!” Katara takes a defensive stance. “Go away!”   
“... Azula maybe you should start by saying you're the avatar-” Zuko starts   
“but-” “you're the avatar?” Katara says in disbelief  
Sokka rolls his eyes. “Sure, and this is Katara, my flying sister.”  
Katar and Azula look confused at Sokka, and in unison say, “what?”  
Sokka shrugs.

Azula sighs. “Well, it's true, I'm the avatar.”   
“That can't be right. The next avatar should be an airbender.” Katara crosses her arms.  
“She's obviously lying.” Sokka says.  
“I'm not!” Azula says offended.  
“It's true, she's the avatar.” Zuko says.  
“Sure, proof it.” Sokka crosses his arms.  
“Fine!” Azula turns to the water and tries to make it move, but barely anything happens. She glares at the water.

Katara raises an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”  
“Bending water.”  
“... You're glaring at it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Was on like a break for the last few days.  
> Am back now-  
> See ya next chapter!


	4. Katara's mom, the gays and Iroh make for some interesting dynamics

Azula now gives Katara a glare. “Well I haven’t been taught how to waterbend yet.” She sneers.  
“Can you bend anything else?” She asks, curious.  
“Fire and lightning.” Azula states proudly. “And- a bit of earth bending..” She mutters.  
“Show me.”  
“What-”   
“Show me you can earth bend, if you’re the avatar you should be able to.” Katara says, carefully.  
“But there’s no earth here. Only ice, and ice..” _Seems to hate me._ Azula falls silent, looking off, uncertainty visible in her face.   
Katara frowns and looks around, if only they still had their boat..  
Sokka sighs. “Katara, please tell me you don't actually believe this girl.” He mutters towards his sister, eyeing the other boy.  
“Well we're still alive, that must mean _something_!” Katara whispers to Sokka, watching Azula.

Zuko takes something from his pocket and holds it out to Azula. It seems to be a small charm made out of clay. “This should work.”  
Azula looks at him and straightens her posture taking the small charm. “Thank you.”   
She looks at Katara, then puts a few loose strings of hair back in their place. Then takes the charm in her hands and focuses, frowning.  
Nothing much happens at first, then the small charm flies up, and shatters.

Azula flinches lightly as it does so. Glancing at Katara.  
Katara stares at her, feeling something burning inside of herself. _She IS the avatar..!_  
Sokka stares at Azula, mouth wide open.  
Zuko hides a smile. _I knew she could do it._  
Iroh takes a sip from his tea, watching everything go down. He smiles a knowing smile.

Sokka and Katara decide that they'll board the ship, I mean how else are they gonna get home? Oh fuck who's going to tell gran-gran.. 

Zuko stays away from the ~~strangely hot~~ watertribe boy. Fearing he might be hit again with whatever he had been hit with earlier. Also because he's still grumpy he got hit in the first place.  
Azula glances at Katara, uncertain. And maybe oh-so slightly scared at the feeling in her chest Katara’s hopeful eyes gave her. 

  
Once everyone is aboard, the ship starts to sail.  
“Do you want some tea?” Iroh asks, walking over to the watertribe siblings.  
Katara opens her mouth to say something, but Sokka pulls out his weapon and points it at the old man. “So you can poison us? No thank y-”  
Katara smacks him on the back of the head before he can finish. “I think my brother meant to say we aren't particularly thirsty.” She says, giving Sokka a glare and the old man a smile. “I'm Katara, this is Sokka. Thank you for taking us home. Is there anywhere we could rest?”

Azula stares at Katara, then chuckles lightly. “I like her.” She states.  
Zuko looks at Azula. “I didn't know-” she gives him a glare before he can finish. He holds up his hands in defense.  
She flips her hair and walks off to her room. Well, more like storms off.  
Zuko rubs the back of his neck. Uhh.. He looks at his uncle, who just gave Sokka and Katara directions and watched the interaction between his two kids go down.  
“Sometimes it's hard to admit the truth to ourselves, you may have left the fire nation but that doesn't mean your past quit affecting you.”  
“... Sure uncle-” _what??_

Meanwhile under decks..  
“Do you actually trust them?” Sokka asks as he sits down on one of the beds.  
Katara scoffs, and turns to Sokka, reaching for her necklace. ”Of course not! They killed our mother.. I would never trust them! But she _is_ the avatar..” She glances off.  
“... Okay so why did we get on the ship??”  
“Well do you want to paddle home on an ice block? Be my guest-”  
He holds up his hands. “Okay, okay, I get it.”  
Silence falls between them. The air fills with uncertainty, and fear.

Azula looks at her reflection, the mirror is shattered. She wipes her tears furiously.  
 _Stop crying. Cry baby. Suck it up._ She bites her lip and sits down on her bed, burying her face in a pillow.  
 _I don't like her. That's wrong. Isn't it?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm 100% certain avicii's "Addicted to You" fits Katara × Azula. Music video included.  
> Also Azula has defo internalized homophobia, Zuko has it... less?  
> Also y'all's comments got me motivated to write this chapter I'm- ...
> 
> I've got actual books to write but this is more fun hahaha-


	5. The firenation needs more Therapists.

Zuko is training with a few fire nation soldiers on the deck.  
Sokka comes from underneath the deck and silently sits down next to Iroh, watching Zuko train.  
 _That looks pretty ~~hot~~ cool._  
Iroh glances at Sokka, then looks at his nephew. “Not scared I might poison you?”  
Sokka shrugs. “You haven't killed us yet which is surprising, also we can walk around freely. So I highly doubt you're gonna poison us now. Do you have any meat?”  
Iroh laughs. 

Once Sokka has gotten food he sits down and watches Zuko train. _How many times is he going to do the same routine?_   
Zuko stops once he notices Sokka. He turns and stares at the watertribe boy, just eating.  
“What is he doing here-?!” He snaps at Iroh.  
Iroh glances at Sokka, who can't be bothered to stop eating, then at Zuko. “Well he is our guest prince Zuko, it would be rude to let him starve.”  
"I mean what is he doing up here?!”  
“Eating?”  
Zuko grunts and looks at Sokka. “You. What are you doing up here?!”  
Sokka raises an eyebrow. “Eating? What does it look like I'm doing-”  
Zuko is about to say something when Iroh cuts him short. “Let him eat, you have to focus on your training. Again, prince Zuko.”  
Zuko gives him a glare but does it again. 

“Ah, no.” Iroh gets up. “Power and firebending come from the breath, not the muscles.” He gestures with his hands whilst explaining. “The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends past your limbs and becomes-” he does the motion again, but this time shoots fire right at Zuko's face, “fire!”  
Zuko doesn't move, Sokka flinches.  
“Get it right this time, do it again.” Iroh says.  
“Enough.” Zuko tells his uncle. “I’ve been drilling this sequence all day. Teach me the next set. I am more than ready.” He tells his uncle, glaring at him.  
“No! You are impatient.” Iroh replies, putting his hands behind his back.  
Sokka slowly slows down eating, now watching the two of them discuss. _Wh-_  
“You have yet to master your basics,” Iroh sits back down, “drill it again!”  
Zuko grunts and sends a flame towards one of the poor fire nation soldiers, who is unable to block it and gets knocked back.  
He looks at his uncle. “We are done. Teach me the next set!”  
Sokka glances off, making the face that you get when you're over at your friend's house and they get into a discussion with their parents right in front of you.

Meanwhile…

Katara wanders around under the deck, she was curious as to what these ships looked like on the inside, and maybe also a little but about the avatar. Just a bit. Shh.

Azula is sitting on her bed, a bowl of water in front of her. She's glaring at it as she tries to get it to move, but to no avail.   
Her door is closed, she doesn't want anyone seeing her _fail_. She shouldn't be _failing_. Water is a lesser element! It should do as she says! She's the damn avatar!  
“Why do you disobey me?” She hisses as she throws the bowl against the wall. Drenching one of the fire nation carpets they hang from their walls.  
Lucky for us, Katara walked just by and heard the bowl hit the wall.  
She frowns and walks to the door, carefully opening it. She looks at Azula.   
“Are you okay?”  
Azula slightly jumps at her voice and looks at Katara, she quickly strikes her hair flat and sits up straighter. “I am fine.”

“You don't look fine..”  
“Well you don't know what I'd look like if I were fine.”  
Katara frowns and then looks around the room. “Why is that carpet wet?”  
“That's none of your business.”  
Katara looks at her. “Are you always this defensive when people ask you questions?”  
“Well I don't know you, so I see no reason why I should answer any of your questions.”  
“Alright, alright.” Katara looks at the wet spot. “I could try to clean it up?”  
 _Show you can show off how much better you are?_ She huffs and flips her hair, looking off. “Feel free to, not like it matters.”  
Katara lightly glares at Azula. “You don't have to be so- so- ugh. Fine, you can go clean it up yourself!”  
“I don't have to, our servants will clean it up."  
Katara glares, ready to fire back.  
Then, from down the hall Katara can hear her name being shouted, “Katara!” Sokka yells, “We're almost home!”  
Katara glances at the door, then at Azula, she wants to say something, but decides against it and goes up to her brother instead.

Azula lets out a soft sigh, then goes to make herself look presentable, _perfectly fine_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Walks in 30 mins late, holding a warm coffee and a lunch sack*  
> Sooooooooo, I don't have an excuse. :3
> 
> Please leave a kudo and comment if you liked this! See ya next chapter~


	6. Home without Happiness

The fire nation ship comes to a stop, Azula joins her brother on deck. He glances at her, noticing something is wrong but refraining from commenting. Not wanting her anger redirected at him.

Sokka and Katara stare down at their home, the ship’s front lowers until they can walk down it. Everyone in the village stares at the fire nation ship, then at the two kids of _their_ tribe who walk down to the ground as if it’s the most normal thing in the world. 

“Gran-gran!” Katara hurries over to her grandmother, who gives a glare towards the two fire nation teens walking down as well.

“Where are the men?” Azula comments, glancing around. “This place is so empty.” She frowns, then remembers the raids her people did. She looks at the villagers, something feels to loosen within her.  
Zuko huffs, glaring around.

“They left to fight in the war,” Sokka answers, looking back at the fire nation kids with judgement, “the war your people started.”  
 _The war that took our mother._ Katara thinks as she looks back at Azula.  
“Katara, Sokka, why did you bring them here?” Gran-gran asks, eyes narrowing as she looks at the fire nation kids, then back at her grand-kids.  
“They gave us a lift here gran-gran, we were stranded after our boat broke,” Katara admits.  
“... Thank you for bringing my grandkids back, but I must ask you to leave now.”

Azula’s eyes widen, panik spreading across her face before she regains her posture. “I fear we cannot go, I need a waterbender to teach me water bending,” she looks at Katara, “and unless there is another waterbender here, I need her to teach me.”  
Katara blinks, staring back, speechless. She frowns and reaches for her necklace, going to reply- “Your people have taken enough waterbenders from us.” Her grandmother proclaims before she can say anything. “Go. You are not welcome here.”  
“Gran-gran-” “No Katara.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think you understand. I am the avatar, she must teach me waterbending,” Azula says, no, more demands.  
Gran-gran scoffs. “Sure.”  
“It’s true gran-gran-” Katara picks up a vase and walks towards Azula, putting it down in front of her. “She _is_ the avatar.” She looks at Azula and nods towards her.  
Azula stares confused at her. Then she looks at the vase, she takes a deep breath and focuses, then swipes her hand to the side.

The vase falls over, then reforms, then falls apart. Azula strokes her hair flat.  
The village is silent, staring at Azula.   
“She is the avatar.. We’re doomed.” A voice says.  
Azula’s head snaps up, looking at the people, searching for who said that. “Wh-” “That’s not fair,” Katara says, turning to her people, “she is not the one who did this to us, she hasn’t wronged us? She helped me and my brother when we were in need of help, she hasn’t hurt us. We shouldn’t, blame her for the mistakes her people have made.”  
Azula stares at Katara, eyes slightly more widened.  
Zuko stares as well at her. Blinking. _huh._

Iroh watches from the ship, a smile on his face. _She’ll be a good influence on Azula.._

Gran-gran sighs. Sokka groans. “So what, you want to go travel the world with some strangers? Katara, be reasonable, you are barely able to control your magic yourself!”   
“It’s _waterbending_ , not magic,” she coldly says.  
Zuko sighs. “Azula, let’s just go.”  
She looks at Zuko, then just nods and turns around, heading back up the ship.  
“Wait! I’m coming with you,” Katara says.  
“Katara! Would you really choose strangers over your own family?!”  
Azula glances at Katara, then at Sokka, then at Zuko. Zuko groans.  
“Katara, please don’t do this,” her grandmother says.  
“You can’t stop me-” “Katara,” Katara freezes and turns to look at Azula. _That’s the first time she has said my name.._  
 _Be nice._ She tries to smile, fails and just returns to her usual gaze. “We cannot force you to come with us.”  
Katara frowns, then another voice sounds. “How about we all have some tea, and calmly discuss our situation. I’m sure there is a satisfactory solution to both of our problems.” Iroh says, walking down. He smiles and turns to gran-gran. She looks at him with a thoughtful look.

Somewhere else..

Zhao looks up from his dinner at the messenger standing at the door. “Where did you say they were spotted?”  
“The south pole, my lord.” The messenger bows.  
Zhao smirks. “Good.. I suppose we’ll have to visit the royal runaways, then..”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sprinkels in Iroh's to fix Problems*  
> Heya I am trying to get back into this, let's see how far I'll get before disappearing again..
> 
> Leave a kudo and a comment if you enjoyed this chapter!  
> See y'all next chapter~


	7. The sea is our ocean- wait what

Azula looks off into the sunset, frowning, thinking. _‘.. Airbenders still live, and if she's the avatar, she'll need to learn that first.’_  
She frowns more. _They're alive? But father.. I should probably stop believing Anything I've been taught…_ Azula sighs.  
“Azula?”  
Azula turns and looks at Zuko. “Zuzu.”  
Zuko huffs and walks over. “Don't call me that."  
“Can't stop me Zuzu.”  
He sighs and glances at the sea. “So, do you think it's true?”  
She turns back towards the water. “What do you mean?”  
“... The airbenders, do you think they survived?”  
“I wouldn't know.”  
Zuko glances at her. “Do you think they did?”  
“I mean,” she scoffs and flips her hair, “I certainly hope they did. Because it'd be extremely hard to learn airbending if I don't have a teacher.”

•

“I can't believe you dragged me into this.”  
Katara her eye twitches, “excuse me?”  
“Of course I couldn't leave you all to your own devices so I–” he yelps and freezes, staring at his sister, water dripping from his face.  
Katara glares at him, holding an empty vase. “I suggest you try being less of a whiny bitch about this,” she hisses, “because if _you_ think for one second _I_ dragged _you_ into this—”  
He holds up his hands, getting the memo, and not wanting to freeze. “Sorry Katara–!”  
She sighs and puts the vase down. “Alright, so, do you wanna talk about what we're going to do once we meet our 'could have been' grand-pa?”  
“Uh, nothing? I mean I know gran-gran constantly talked about how dumb he was but I honestly don't care–” he squeezes the water out of his warrior's bun, “–about some random old man.”  
“... Do you think they're still the same as gran-gran described them? Very traditional and everything?” Katara asks as she settles down on one of the beds.  
“Maybe? I mean I could understand why they would want to stick to their old traditions in these times of war–”  
Katara shoots him a ‘tf are you on about’ look. Sokka sighs. “In my opinion, yes.”  
Katara sighs. ”Maybe this will be harder than I thought..”

•

Iroh looks out over the peaceful water, but he can't help but feel worry. As if something, someone is nearing. And he can't shake it.  
So he stares out over the sea. He can't let anyone hurt these kids. ~~His kids. Not again, never again.~~

…

Zhao looks out over the peaceful dark waters, eyes narrow, that smirk as usual playing on his lips.  
“Where to set course to, sir?”   
“For now? Kyoshi island.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing so many perspectives, writing at sea, writing---... is hard.  
> Anyways can't wait to introduce Suki!
> 
> Leave a kudo & comment if you enjoyed this chapter!  
> See all of you next chapter~

**Author's Note:**

> See you next chapter!


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